26 Apr The Women’s World Cup Impact
As the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 tournament sets up for kickoff in June, the anticipation can be felt globally. With 24 teams from around the world, including the USA, Netherlands, Italy and Jamaica, this year’s Women’s World Cup will be a heavily popular event cross-culturally.
Elaine Thompson/Associated Press
In 2015, the Women’s Cup final game of USA vs. Japan broke records as the most watched soccer match in United States’ history. This was more than the Men’s World Cup final in 2014, and more than the 2015 NBA Final. But, the records don’t stop there. It was also reported as the most viewed Spanish-Language game in Women’s World Cup History, with Telemundo reaching over 1.27 million viewers.
The massive impact created from the USA Women’s soccer team in 2015 means a prominent start to this year’s tournament. Soccer viewership and participation is now more lucrative than ever. For example, Fox reported earning $40 million in ad revenue during the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Also, soccer was reported the second most-popular sport in the U.S. to be played by 12-17 year olds in 2014. Between 1999 and 2014, girls’ soccer participation has grown 44%, and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
Future Impact
VANCOUVER, BC – (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
This could mean huge investment interest for corporate heavyweights, like Nike, Visa, General Motors, and AT&T in soccer framework and programs. A lot of big businesses have already discovered the Men’s National Team, and have developed close sponsorships and connections with them. Some current sponsors for the Men’s National team include: Visa, Coca-Cola, Samsung and Nike. However, with the new popularity of women’s soccer, there are new opportunities for investment. There is a high demand for women’s soccer, and big businesses are taking notice.
The excitement of the upcoming tournament following the success in 2015 is a significant player in the future of soccer. The beautiful game is working its way up to the top of the pack for popular sports in the U.S., and women are holding their spot as key contributors.
